Clock Cabinet
c.1725 (made)
| Place of origin |
The cabinet is said to have been made in Plymouth. The musical clock was made by Mayne Swete as a gift for his brother, Adrian Swete of Trayne, Modbury, South Devon, who became High Sheriff of the county in 1724 and died in 1733. Mayne Swete had a private forge where he made this mechanical instrument, taking seven years to complete the task at a cost of £200. He was also a keen campanologist and headed the bell-ringers of Modbury when they won a competition held at Totnes.
Inside the top section of the cabinet is a bell to strike the hours and a carillon with 27 bells tuned in semi-tones, played by means of a small keyboard or by a brass cylinder set with pines in the manner of a musical box. The latter plays a tune every three hours and the cylinder can be replaced on Sundays to play a psalm.
Inside the top section of the cabinet is a bell to strike the hours and a carillon with 27 bells tuned in semi-tones, played by means of a small keyboard or by a brass cylinder set with pines in the manner of a musical box. The latter plays a tune every three hours and the cylinder can be replaced on Sundays to play a psalm.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 21 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | See departmental file for technical report on the movement (c.1974) by Dr. F.A.B. Ward (the original held by V&A Archive AO764) |
| Brief description | CLOCK AND CARILLON Walnut veneer Made by Mayne Swete, Trayne, Modbury, Devon, in about 1725 |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Purchased from E Lyall Swete, London |
| Object history | Clock with carillon by Mayne Swete, between 1700-1735, purchased for £115 on 15.10.25 from E Lyall Swete (108, St. Mary’s Mansions, W2) Notes from R.P. 25/7446 There is extensive correspondence on R P files and reports from E Lyall Swete regarding the history of the clock, its maker, and detailed reports of provenance and repairwork. These are best summed up by a 1957 letter from F & W in response to an inquiry about the clock (attached here). 24/9/25 minute paper notes that Mr Lyall Swete altered the date on the non plate "but this could be removed". 26/10/25 minute paper, O Brackett notes that "the clock is of considerable importance and of fine workmanship……the design of the lower part (forming a cabinet for the works) is excellent…" 27/10/25 minute paper, E Maclagan writes "It is an extremely fine piece of work and in every way suitable for a Museum. The comparatively plain lower part would….be of greatest service to practical designers". Information regarding the provenance is recorded in the department object file. |
| Summary | The cabinet is said to have been made in Plymouth. The musical clock was made by Mayne Swete as a gift for his brother, Adrian Swete of Trayne, Modbury, South Devon, who became High Sheriff of the county in 1724 and died in 1733. Mayne Swete had a private forge where he made this mechanical instrument, taking seven years to complete the task at a cost of £200. He was also a keen campanologist and headed the bell-ringers of Modbury when they won a competition held at Totnes. Inside the top section of the cabinet is a bell to strike the hours and a carillon with 27 bells tuned in semi-tones, played by means of a small keyboard or by a brass cylinder set with pines in the manner of a musical box. The latter plays a tune every three hours and the cylinder can be replaced on Sundays to play a psalm. |
| Bibliographic reference | F.A.B. Ward, “The clocks of the Victoria and Albert Museum” in Antiquarian Horology, June 1975, Fig 7
“A clock which defies normal classification is a chiming, musical and carillon clock in a cabinet, by Mayne Swete of Modbury, Devon, from the early 18th century (see Fig. 7).
It is in the form of a fine two-stage walnut cabinet, with a break-arch dial housing above; this latter surmounted by four scrolls which meet at the top to support a gilt pineapple finial.
The entire cabinet is filled with mechanism, which includes the hand-operated carillon with 37 bells and 74 hammers, these latter serving also the musical movement of the clock.
The clock is a ‘one-off’ job made by Swete as a gift to his brother, Adrian Swete, who was High Sheriff of Devon in 1724.” |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.64:17-1925 |
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| Record created | September 24, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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